Plate-holder.



Patented 1an. I5, I90I. H. L. FRENCH; PLATE HoLnEn'.

(Application led Oct. 29, 1900.)

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WITNESSES- UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE.

HARLEY L. FRENCH, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO EDIVARD C. VARNICA, OF SAME PLACE.

PLATE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 665,960, dated January 15, 1901.

Application filed October 29. 1900. Serial No. 34,789. (No model.)

To cti/'Z whom it' may concern: taining bars D D extend across the exposure- Be it known that I, HARLEY L. FRENCH, a surface within the frame A and lie adjacent citizen of the United States, and a resident of to the septum B. The ends of the bars are i Rochester, in the county ofMonroe and State cut down, as shown in Fig. 4, so that thin 55 of New York, have invented certain new and extensions d of the bar D (see Fig. 4) can exuseful Improvements in Plate-Holders, of tend through slot-s d in the inner faces of the which the following is a specification. side pieces d10 and c and into the grooves ctl00 This invention relates to plate-holders; and and ct110,in which the springs d are set. On one its object is to produce a compact plate-holder side of the plate-holder the ends of the springs 6o 1o adapted to hold and to center photographic are fastened to the extensions cl of the bar D plates of different sizes. and on the other side the ends of the springs The invention consists in the devices and are fastened to the extensions d of the barD. constructions hereinafter described and The slots d10 are long enough to permit the claimed. bars D and D' to be moved from their extreme 65 In the drawings, Figure l is a face view of inward positions, as shown in Fig. l, to apoa plate-holder embodying thisinvention,parts sition in which said bars are in the recesses being removed to show interior construction. in the end pieces ct a' of the frame, as shown Fig. 2 is a cross-section on the line 2 2 of Fig. in the dotted lines in Fig. 2, in which latter 1. Fig. 3 is a cross-section on the line 3 3 of case the springs will be extended to their ut- 7o 2o Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a cross-section 0n the line most. Catches E E at each end of the frame 4 4 of Fig. l. are adapted to engage the bars D D when in The development of photographic cameras their extreme positions in said recesses and both for professional and amateur uses has to retain said bars therein until released by resulted in requiring the production of platethe operator. 7 5 holders substantially uniform in size of the One of the bars D has a straight face and outer frame and of the surface capable of exaprojectingledge di, (see Fig. 2,) under which posure by withdrawing the usual slide. This the edge of the plate is set. The other bar invention is adapted to be embodied in such D has a stepped face and a projecting ledge plate-holders without changing the diinend20, stepped correspondinglyto the face. The 8o 3o sions of the frame and without reducing the steps in the face of the bar D are of such surface capable of being exposed and at the width (see Fig. l) as to fit the edges of plates same time to provide means whereby sensiof the standard sizes employed by photogtive plates of different sizes may be properly raphers-such, for instance, as in Fig. l-the held and may be automatically centered in face between the points .fr may iit the edge 3 5 the plate-holder. of a three and one-half by three and one-half In the drawings, A is the usual rectangular plate, the steps between the points y fg may frame, in the present instance shown as that iit the edge of a four by five plate, the steps of a double or reversible plate-holder. This between the points e' ,e may lit the edge of a frame has the usual iixed septum B and the five by seven plate, while the full width of 9o 4o usual slides C C. The end pieces ct ct of the the bars and of the plate-holder is adapted to frame A are so recessed that the plate-holding fit a six by eight plate. bars D D may be drawn into said recesses. On account of the even pressure ofthe two The ledges a2 upon said end pieces a Ct form halves of the spring d, the plate will be propthese recesses. In the side pieces ctw a are erly centered. There is also provided, if de- 45 cut longitudinal internal grooves d100 e110, adsired, a series of notches a0 cto in the inner jacent to the septum B or the middle of said faces of the side pieces ctw au and upon one end pieces n10 a, and in said grooves are set of the bars, such as D, are catches a3, adaptcoiled springs d d. These coiled springs at ed to engage in said notches cto ctw, whereby their middle points are fastened to the middle the bar may be held in the exact position roo 5o of the side pieces d10 a. byanysuitable means, adapted to center a plate of particular size such as the pins or nails do. The plate-reaccurately in the plate-holder. Both bars may be provided with these catches and suitable notches may be ina-de in the i'rame therefor. The forni of catch shown in Figs. l and et. is a sliding catch that is slotted and is heid to the bar D by means or rivets or screws e30, extending through the slots and into the bar D, the slots being of suitable length to permit the proper movement of the catch to enter and to be Withdrawn from the notches t0 and d0.

The operation of the device is as follows: ,lf it is desired to use a plate of the maximum size say six by eightthe bars D and D are pulled into the recesses under the ledges d2 until the catch lil engages and holds the bar D and the catch E' engages and holds the bar D. The edge of the six by eight plate is new vFitted under the ledge d2 of the barD and the plate is dropped in position, which brings its other edge closely adjacent to the most projecting portion oi the edge of the bar D.

-Upon releasing said bar by disengaging the catch it said bar is moved by its spring, so as to engage the edge of the plate by its overhanging ledge and to hold it in position in the plate-holder. lf it is desired to insert a plate of one of the smaller sizessay a three and one-half by three and one-hal'-both bars are released and. stand in the position shown by full lines in Fig. l. One edge of the plate is iirst placed under the ledge of the bar D', extending between the poin ts o; o5, and is then laid upon the septum B, the bar D having been previously Withdrawn and being then allowed to return to place, whereby its projecting ledge d2 extends over the other edges of the plate. rlhe plate will now be held in the center of the plate-holder by means of the springs d. lf, however, it is desired to hold the plate more firmly than by means of the springs alone, the catches as are set in their proper notches. These operations for the loading of the plate-holder are of course performed in a dark room as usual, and the slides C and C' are put in place.

It is clear that a plate-holder embodying this invention may either be double, as shown in the drawings, or may be single. The cavities for the springs may either be bored through the ends of the side pieces au and d10 or else trie side pieces may be split on the line o, and the cavities for the springs may be cut in them by an ordinary planing or molding process.

A novel Way of applying the catches E and ll in the double plate-holder is to make both of them at one end of a single piece of spring metal, as shown in 2 at E10. The said single strip of metal is bent at right angles at two points, so as to produce a middle portion and two end springs of equal length. Slots are made in the end pieces a', and the spring ends are inserted through these slots, and then the middle portion of the spring-piece is fastened in any suitable Way to the end piece a.

it is further clear that the bars D D may eeaeee be set lengthwise of the plate-holder, in which ease the springs d are set in the end pieces thereof.

lVhat l claim isl. ln a plate-holder, a rectangularframe, a pair of spriiig-operated plaie-retaining bars extending across from one side of said frame to the other and having means for retaining photographic plates, and two pairs oi extensible springs one pair on each side oiil the frame, the ends oi eac-h spring being attached to said frame and to the end oi one ofsaid bars.

t. ln a plate-holder, a rectangulaitraine, a pair of spring-operated plate-retaining bars extending across from one side of said frame to the other and having over-hanging ledges 'for retaining photographic plates and extensible springs, each fastened at its middle point to said frame and at its ends to the ends ol said bars.

ln a plate-holder, a rectangular frame, a pair of spring-operated plate-retaining bars extending across from one side el said iframe to the other and having overhanging ledges for retaining photographic plates and pairs of extensible springs, lying` iu grooves in the sides of the frame, the ends of; each pair ol' springs being attached to said frame and to the ends of one of said bars.

Ll. ln a plate-holder, a rectangular frame, a pair of spring-ojerated plate-retaining bars extending across from one side ot' said frame to the other and having overhanging ledges for retaining photographic plates, and extensible springs lying in grooves in the sides of the frame, each spring being fastened at its middle point to said frame and at its ends to said bars.

5. In a plate-holder, a rectangularframe, a pair of spring-operated plate-retaining bars extending across from one side of said frame to the other and ends extending through slots into the sides of said frame and having means for retaining photographic plates and extensible springs lying in grooves in the sides of said frame, each spring being Afastened at its middle point to said frame and at its ends to the ends of said bars.

6. In a plate-holder,a rectangular frame, a pair of spring-operated plate-retaining bars extending across from one side of said frame to the other and having means l'or retaining photographic plates, and two pairs of extensible springs one pair on each side oli the frame, the ends of each spring being` attached to said frame and to the end of one of said bars, one of said bars having stepped ledges for fitting and centering photographie plates of different widths.

7. lin a plate-holder, a rectangular frame, a pair of spring-ojerated plate-retaining bars extending across Yfrom ene side oi' said frame to the other and having overhanging ledges for retaining photographic plates and extensible springs, each fastened at its middle point to said frame and at its ends to the ends ol said bars, the ledges of one etI said bars be- TOO IIO

ing stepped for fitting and centering photographic plates of different Widths.

8. In a plate-holder, a rectangular frame, a pair of spring-operated plate-retaining bars extending across from one side of said frame to the other and having overhanging ledges for retaining photographic plates and pairs of extensible springs, lying in grooves in the sides of the frame, the ends of each pair of springs being attached to said frame and to the ends of one of said bars, the ledges of one of said bars being stepped for tting and oentering photographic plates of different Widths.

' 9. In a plate-holder,a rectangular frame, a

pair of spring-operated plate-retaining bars extending across frorn one side of said frame to the other and having overhanging ledges for retaining photographic plates, and extensible springs lying in grooves in the sides of the frame, each spring being fastened at its middle point to said frame and at its ends to said bars, the ledges of one of said bars being stepped for fitting and centering photographic plates of different Widths.

l0. In a plate-holder, a rectangular frame, a pair of spring-operated plateeretaining bars extending across from one side of said frame to the other and extending through slots into the sides of said frame and having means for retaining photographie plates and extensible springs lying in grooves in the sides of said frame, each spring being fastened at its middle point to said frame and at its ends to the ends of said bars, one of said bars having stepped ledges for fitting and centering photographic plates of different Widths.

HARLEY L. FRENCH. Vitnesses:

C. M. PERKINS, F. BIssELL. 

